Flexible diaphragm type of laundry apparatus



Nov. 4, 1952 T. s. WATSON 2,616,279

FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM TYPE OF LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Aug. 25, 1948 2SHEETS-SHEET 1 INVENTOR. 7km 5, Mai/Um E50 5 BY Qua/Dem q huwa fllfi s.

Nov. 4, 1952 T. s. WATSON 2,616,279

FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM TYPE OF LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Aug. 23, 1948 2SHEETS-SHEET 2 A\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ VIIIIIIIIII F INVENTOR.

motor driven pump 49 whose inlet is connected by a pipe 50 with thebottom of the tank 20. The pipe connection 29a has a check valve fitting5| therein and a T fltting 52 which connects by piping 53 with a pipe 54that is provided with suitable four way valves 55 and 56. The valve 55also connects with a hot water supply pipe 51 and a wash water supplypipe 58 leading into the tank l2. The valve 56 also connects with a coldwater supply pipe 59 and a pipe 68 which leads to the inlet of a highpressure rotary motor driven pump 6| whose outlet is connected by a pipe62 with a three way valve 53 that also connects with the pipe I! andwith a waste pipe connection 64 leading out of the tank I2. valvecontrolled drain outlet 65.

The pipe 69 has a branch pip connection 66 which connects with the pipe62 and is provided with a check valve fitting 61, so that water at citypressure may be delivered to the pipe 62 before this pressure is boostedby the operation of the pump 6 l The storage tank l2 may be providedwith an access openin 68 closed by a door 69 hinged to the support It]at H3 and held in closed position by a pivotally mounted latch Hengageable with a keeper 12. Soap or washing powders may be introducedin the tank I2 through opening 68.

The operation of the apparatus is, as follows: With the cover 30 swungto open position the clothes are placed in the space provided by thebags l8 and 24 and the washing fluid is made up in the tank 12 byintroducing water through the pipe 58 at the desired temperatureobtained from the supply pipes 57 and 59 by the operation of the valves55 and 56 and washing powder or soap through the opening 68. Th cover isclosed, and the pump 49 is then started, and it draws the washing fluidfrom the tank l2 through the pipe 50 and forces it upwardly through thepipe 13 in the cover member 34 into the space '14 in the cover, thencethrough the fitting 45, valve 46, and pipe 48 back to the tank 12. Thwashing fluid is thus continuously circulated through the clothes tocleanse the dirt therefrom for a suflicient length of time to accomplishthis purpose. The pump 49 is then stopped, the valve 46 turned toconnect pipe 41 with fitting 45, and either or both of the valves 55 and56 operated to admit fresh water at the desired temperature into thepipe 53 from which it passes into the pipe 29a, thence through fitting29 and passage 28 into the space between the deflector 24 and the bag l8from whence it flows through the opening 25 upwardly through the clothesand out through the cover as first described and then through thefitting 45, valve 46, and pipe 41 to waste, this water acting to rinsethe clothes, it being noted that the check valve 5| prevents rinse waterpassing into the pump 49. The rinsing operation is continued until theclothes are thoroughly rinsed, and then the valve 55 is closed, if open,and the valve 63 moved to connect pipes 62 and I! in circuit flowrelation and the valve 55, being open or opened, water at city pressureis introduced into th pipes 66 and v6t and past check valve 61 intopipes 62 and I! and thence into the bottom of the container between thebag l8 andsaid container and exerting its pressure on the bottom of saidbag l8 lifts it with the clothes therein upwardly toward the cover.Shortly The tank 12 has athereafter the pump 6| is started, and it thentakes water from th pipe 60 and raises its pressure and forces itthrough the pipe 62 and I1 into the container, this higher pressureacting to close the check valve 61 and also acting on the bag l8 toforce the load of clothes therein up against the apertured member 34 ofthe cover and squeeze or force the water in the clothes into the space14 from which it flows through fitting 44 to the drain 41, the valve 46being then set for this purpose. Thus the water is extracted from theclothes, and after this has been completed, the pump 6! is shut off orstopped, the valve 63 turned to connect the pipe H with the waste pipe64 to release the pressure, whereupon the cover may be swung to openposition,

and the washed, rinsed, and partly dried clothes removed. By the termpartly dry I mean as much or more water has been extracted from theclothes than is done by the usual operations of wringing or spin drying.While the deflector member 24 has been shown as having a relativelysmall central opening 25 in its bottom, this opening may in someinstances be considerably larger to suit the size of the container andthe fluid pressures used. This deflector has been found to be ofconsiderable importance as it protects the clothes from being torn bythe bag l8 which may happen where the bag l8 alone is used since the bagsometimes folds or kinks up at its top and bottom portions and in doingso tears the clothes contained therein.

As shown in Fig. 4, I may mount a vibrator 15 on a centrally disposedshaft 16 connected to the cover 34 for vibrating said cover andcontainer and hence the clothes in the container during the washingand/or rinsing operation. Any suitable vibrator may be used, and I haveshown one of the electric type.

I desire it 'to be understood that this invention is not to be limitedto any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having aflexible bag extending into it and. provided with an outlet, anapertured cover for said outlet, means for introducing fluid underpressure between the container and the bag to collapse the bag and forcewater from the clothes in the bag through said outlet, an inner liningfor the bag spaced from the inner side of said bag to provide a flowspace between it and the .bag, and a conduit communicating with thisflow space.

2. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having an openend and a flexible bag extending from said open end into said container,an apertured cover for said open end, means for introducing fluid underpressure between the container and the bag to collapse the bag andextract water from the clothes in the bag through said outlet, and aninner flexible clothes protective lining disposed within the sides andbottom portions of the bag to prevent tearing of the clothes by the bagduring the extraction process.

3. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a toprim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extendinginto said container, a tank associated with said container, an aperturedcover detachably secured to said top rim portion and having a passageleading therefrom connected with said tank, a passage in the rim portionof said container above the bag, means connected with said last namedpassage, the said passage in the cover and said tank for circulating awashing fluid through clothes placed in the bag to wash said clothes,means connected with the passage in the cover and said passage in therim portion of the container to pass rinse water through the clothes,and means for introducing fluid under pressure into the containerbetween said container and the bag to force the bag and the clothestherein toward the apertured cover to extract water from the rinsedclothes.

4. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a toprim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extendinginto said container, a tank associated with said container, an aperturedcover detachably secured to said top rim portion and having a passageleading therefrom connected with said tank, a passage in the rim portionof said container above the bag, means connected with said last namedpassage, the passage in the cover and said tank for circulating awashing fluid through clothes placed in the bag to wash said clothes,means connected with the passage in the cover and said passage in saidrim portion of the container to pass rinse water through the clothes,means for deflecting the washing fluid and the rinse water on itsintroduction throu h said passage in said rim portion toward the bottomof the bag, and means for introducing fluid under pressure into thecontainer between said container and the bag to force the bag and theclothes therein toward the cover to extract water from the rinsedclothes.

5. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a toprim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extendinginto said container, an apertured cover detachably secured to said toprim portion and having a passage leading therefrom, a flexibleclothesprotecting deflector extending into said bag and spaced therefromto direct fluid toward the bottom of said bag, a passage in said rimportion communicating with the space between the deflector and the bag,means connected with said last named passage and the passage in thecover for circulating a washing fluid through the clothes placed in thebag to wash the clothes, means also connected to said passages to passrinse water through the clothes, and means for introducing fluid underpressure into the container between said container and the bag to forcethe bag and the clothes toward the cover to extract rinse water from theclothes.

6. In a laundry apparatus, the combination of a container having a toprim portion, a flexible bag secured to said rim portion and extendinginto said container, an apertured cover detachably secured to said toprim portion, a tank below the container for washing fluid, a passage insaid rim portion of the container above the bag, a circulating pump forthe washing fluid, means connecting the passage in said cover with saidtank, and means connecting said pump with said tank and with the passagein said rim portion whereby the washing fluid in said tank is circulatedthrough clothes placed in the bag to wash the clothes, means alsoconnected with the passage in said cover to pass rinse water through theclothes, flexible means disposed within the sides and bottom portions ofthe bag for deflecting the washing fluid and the rinse water on itsintroduction into the container toward the bottom of the bag to causesaid fluid and rinse water to flow upwardly through the clothes in thebag, and means for introducing fluid under pressure between thecontainer and the bag to force the bag and the clothes therein towardthe apertured cover to extract water from the rinsed clothes.

THOMAS S. WATSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 298,465 Harlow May 13, 18841,547,266 Robe July 28, 1925 1,790,584 Hirschy Jan. 27, 1931 1,793,093Keil et al Feb. 17, 1931 1,968,638 Ducker July 31, 1934 2,099,365 KemperNov. 16, 1937 2,178,385 Alward Oct. 31, 1939 2,358,194 White Sept. 12,1944 2,455,043 Calhoun Nov. 30, 1948 2,472,682 Rand June 7, 1949

